Digitalization and data protection: How secure is my patient data in the USA and the EU?

Whether psychiatric diagnoses or lifestyle (drinking and smoking behavior), patient data contains highly sensitive information and is therefore subject to special legal protection. This data is increasingly available in electronic form due to digitalization in the health sector. This has the potential to improve medical care on an individual and societal level, as networked data allows for more efficient therapies and is also a valuable "raw material" for research. At the same time, however, the requirements for data protection and data security are increasing continually to prevent misusage. An overview of what medical practices and clinics should consider when dealing with patient data.